Crack was a mixture of chemicals and powdered cocaine. It was cooked to form a rock-hard piece of cocaine. Dealers found that cooking cocaine in this way reduced costs and made it accessible to a wider group. Crack cocaine quickly grew in popularity. The low cost and rapid effect have made it attractive to many drug users. The increase in drug use and violent crimes associated with its abuse have had an impact on the increase in violent crimes. News coverage of the rise in drug-related crime has led to hysteria across the country. Panic ensued due to a public misunderstanding about violent crime and drug use. Constant media coverage has exacerbated the problem. “Attention to television news leads to an increase in fear and worry, rather than causing those who are already more fearful and worried to become more attentive” (Chiricos, Padgett, & Gertz, 2000,